Puffer piston gas blast circuit interrupter with insulating nozzle member

Abstract

A gas blast circuit interrupter of the puffer piston type is provided having one relatively solid contact and one vented contact which make valve closed engagement in the closed position. In all embodiments of the invention, the insulating nozzle and the vented contact are fixedly interconnected by means of a vented electrically conducting ring. The vented contact comprises a cluster nozzle for venting gas during contact parting and for grasping the solid conductor during contact. The cooperating arrangement among the parts allows the puffer gas to vent through parallel paths.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A gas-blast type of circuit-interrupter including, in combination: a. a vented hollow contact having a plurality of circumferentially disposed inner contact fingers provided therewithin;   b. a cooperable relatively-solid non-vented contact extending interiorly within said plurality of circumferentially disposed inner contact fingers an appreciable extent in the closed-circuit position of the circuit-interrupter;   c. means defining an insulating hollow gas-flow nozzle member fixedly secured to said one vented hollow contact and through which said non-vented contact projects in the closed-circuit position of the interrupter;   d. piston means providing high gas pressure conditions externally of said vented hollow contact; and,   e. the contacting interengagement between the non-vented contact and the vented hollow contact providing a closed-valve condition during a predetermined portion of the opening operation preventing gas flow from said high pressure source, whereby the gas pressure has adequate time to be built up.   
     
     
       2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein a perforated metallic cooler member (38A) is interposed between the vented hollow contact and the surrounding insulating hollow nozzle member. 
     
     
       3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein a relatively tight fit is provided between the non-vented contact and the orifice restriction (70) of the insulating hollow nozzle member to prevent gas flow. 
     
     
       4. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the vented hollow contact is stationary and the cooperable relatively solid non-vented contact is movable. 
     
     
       5. The combination according to claim 4, wherein the piston means comprises a movable piston member (54) which is fixedly secured to the movable non-vented contact. 
     
     
       6. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the vented hollow contact is movable and has a piston member fixedly secured thereto, and wherein the cooperable relatively solid non-vented contact is stationary. 
     
     
       7. A gas-blast type of circuit-interrupter including, in combination, means defining a tubular nonperforated metallic contact-holder carrying a ring-shaped metallic perforated cooler member adjacent one open end thereof, the other end of said metallic contact-holder being open to provide a gas-exhaust passage therethrough, an insulating hollow nozzle-member for directing gas flow disposed adjacent said ring-shaped metallic perforated cooler member for receiving a flow of high-pressure gas through said perforated metallic cooler member, means defining an annular cluster of circumferentially disposed contact-fingers disposed internally of said tubular nonperforated metallic contact-holder disposed closely adjacent the inner wall thereof, a substantially nonvented solid contact-rod making contacting engagement with said annular cluster of circumferentially disposed contact-fingers in the closed-circuit position of the circuit-interrupter, means for simultaneously separating said contacts to draw an arc and additionally creating high-pressure gaseous conditions externally of said tubular non-perforated metallic contact-holder during the opening operation of the interrupter, the substantially non-vented solid contact extending an appreciable distance into the interior of said annular cluster of contact-fingers in the closed-circuit position of the circuit-interrupter and additionally making a relatively tight fit within said orifice opening, thereby providing a valve-action therewith for closing the orifice opening in the nozzle during the initial portion of the opening operation of the interrupter to halt gas flow therethrough, separating motion of said contacts opening the aforesaid valve during arc establishment and thereby releasing a flow of high-pressure gas through the opened orifice opening and around the end tip of the substantially non-vented solid contact, and additional high-pressure gas being vented in the opposite direction through the annular cluster of contact-fingers and out through said gas-exhaust passage provided in the tubular contact-holder, whereby the arc will become extinguished by the gas flow in opposite directions. 
     
     
       8. The combination according to claim 7, wherein the tubular non-perforated metallic contact holder and the annular cluster of circumferentially disposed contact fingers are stationary, and the substantially non-vented solid contact rod is movable. 
     
     
       9. The combination according to claim 7, wherein piston means is utilized to provide the high-pressure gaseous conditions, said piston means including a movable piston member, and the movable piston member being fixedly secured to the substantially non-vented solid contact rod and movable therewith. 
     
     
       10. The combination according to claim 7, wherein the tubular non-perforated metallic contact holder and the annular cluster of circumferentially disposed contact-fingers are movable, and the substantially nonvented solid contact rod is stationary. 
     
     
       11. The combination according to claim 7, wherein piston means including a movable piston member is provided to create the high-pressure gaseous conditions, and the movable metallic contact holder and the annular cluster of circumferentially disposed contact-fingers are movable and fixedly attached to the movable piston.